Combined potato digger and separator



(No Morll.)

' 2 SheetsSheet- 1. I. W. HOOVER. COMBINED POTATO DIGG'ER AND SEPARATOR.

Patented May 8, 1888.

INVIENT-D R,

(No Model.) 7 2'Sheets-S h.eet 2. -I. W. HOOVER. COMBINED POTATO BIGGERAND SBPARATOR.. No. 382,363.

Patented May 8, 1888.

N. PETERS, PhotvL'flhogmphar, Washinglnn. D C

-ISAAO W. HOOVER, OF AVERY, OHIO.

COMBINED POTATO D IGGER AND SEPARATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 382,363, dated May 8,1888.

Application filed August 29,1887. Serial No. 242,202. (No model.)

more effective.

, vertical section of the same.

That the improvements may be fully seen and understood,reference is hadto the following specification and to the annexed drawings, in which.-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of said machine. Fig. 2 is a plan thereof.Fig. 3 is a partial Fig. 4 is a partial elevation of the side oppositethat shown in Fig. 1. Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate enlarged detached partsof said machine, to which reference will be made hereinafter.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the drawings andspecification.

In the drawings, A represents the axle upon which the drivers B Brevolve, and to which the side plates,O 0, Figs. 1 and 2, are secured,

as seen at a, Figs. 3 and 4. These plates 0 O are provided with ascoop-shovel, D, secured between and to the lower front ends thereof. Tothe sides of the platesO O are attached the arms E, which arms extend upand forward in a sweep to unite at their front ends, forming a pivotalsupport for the swinging lever F,placed between them, as seen in Figs.1, 2, and 6, to

.which figures reference will be made hereinaf ter. With the outer endof said lever F is connected the pole G and a truck formed by thebrackets H and wheels I, by which the machine is drawn by the team. Bymeans of the strap J a hinged connection is had with the short ends ofthe levers F and K. Thelever K is pivoted to a transverse bar, 1),extending over the arms E, as seen in Fig. 2, and is provided with aspringlatch which engages the notches of the segment L. The segment andlever are for thepurpose of setting the scoop D in the various positionsnecessary in using the machine.

Both the drivers B B are provided with a gearwheel, M, in which thepiuions N engage. Said pinionsare fitted to a shaft, 0, running acrosssaid side plates and journaled within bearings formed in or on saidplates, as seen at c, Fig. 4. From the gear-wheels motion is imparted tothe piniousand shaft when the machine is drawn.

The sprocket -wheel P, Figs. 1 and 2, is loosely fitted to the shaft 0,and only tightly coupled to said shaft when the machine is engag'ed indigging potatoes by means of the coupling P, which, at will of theoperator,can be easily drawn in and out of gear by means of a shifter orother like mechanism. (Not shown in the drawings.) From thesprocketwheel P runs a link belt or chain, F, over the wheel Q, which issecured to the shaft R. Suitable bearings are provided for said shaft onor within the side plates,O, to prevent dust from coming in contact withthe interior of the bearings. on said shaft R, are secured thesprocketwheels Q, while near the lower ends of and in the plates 0 theshaft T isjournaled and provided with sprocket-wheels Q, Fig. 3, whichare in line with those of the shaft R, forming guide-wheels, over whichthe link belts d of the elevator S run when driven from the shaft R.

The elevator proper consists of the link belts d, which engagein thesprockets of the wheels Q Q, and a number of cross-bars, e, as seen inFigs. 2 and 3. Fig. etillustrates an enlarged cross-section and an innerside view of a part Close to the inner sides of the plates 0,

thereof. For the cross-bars 0 angleiron is preferably used, and in thelink belts a corresponding number of links is provided with lugs d, Fig.5, which afford by means of a rivet or bolt a simple and strongconnection of the parts above described. That side of the angle-iron towhich the belts are secured lies flat on the surface of the rack U, andis provided with pins, as seen at f, Fig. 5. These pins slide freelywithin the channels or intervalsf of the rack U, preventing saidchannels from clogging up with earth, small potatoes, or stalks carriedup by the elevator S, when the machine is at work.. The small parts ofrods, {1; which extend longitudinally from the inner side of the shaft Tup and over the shaft R and laterally from one link belt to the other,leaving appropriate intervals between them, through which the earth andstones fall. At the lower end the rodsg are secured to the cross-bar h,to which is fastened the side plates, 0, as seen in Fig. 3. Near theirupper end support is had for themby means of the rodi and a loop formedby the rod g to encircle the rod 2', which also is provided with athimble (not shown in the drawings) to keep the longi tudinal rods intheir proper position and the required distance apart.

The conveyer runs in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 3, and afterleaving the sprocketwheels Q in its return course it passes below theaxle A and'over the guide-wheels j, as seen in Figs. 1 and 3. Saidguidewheelsj assure a closer contact of the belts and Wheels and preventthe dragging of the belt near the front part of the machine.

In the rear part of the machine above described is arranged acombination of devices by means of which the potatoes and weeds carriedup by the elevator are so separated and delivered from the machine as torequire but little labor to gather up the potatoes as the machine movesalong, as hereinafter more fully set forth. To the shaft R are hingedthe brackets V V, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2,which are connected by meansof links tothe short end of the lever W on one side and to the arm ofthe rod W on the other side of the machine. The rod W has its bearingsin the standards k In, which standards project up from the side plates,'0 0, Figs. 1, 3, and 4. To the standard k is attached the segment Z, inthe teeth of which the pawl m of the lever W is supported in holding upsaid brackets and their attachments in any position required in thepractical use of the machine. To the standards 7c is also, in anyconvenient manner or by any suitable means, attached the seat a, as seenin Figs. 1 andet only. To avoid obstructing the view of other parts thisseat is removed in Fig. 2.

The seat for the use of the operator is intended to give him a suitableposition for controlling the operation of the machine and directing theteam.

The brackets V V are provided with armlike projections o and p, whereofthe termination of the arms 0 are provided with bearings for thecrank-shaft q, (see Figs. 1 and 2,) to which motion is imparted by meansof sprocket-wheel g and link belt q, held in gear with the wheel Q bythe aid of the guidepulley Q With the crank-shaft q are pivotallyconnected the rakes r, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the upper ends of which have aloose connection with the transverse bar s by means of the rods r. Saidbar 3 is attached to the brackets V V, the rods being hinged to thebars,Figs. 2 and 3. The rakes are for the purpose of drawing along anddischarging out at the side the weeds and stalks elevated onto theseparator X, Figs. 1 and 2, which separator consists of the frame 15 anda number of curved rods, 25, inserted into the end bar, it, of saidframe. (See Fig. 3.) Said rods extend out in line, or nearly so, withthe side bars of the frame t,- but laterally they are curved to one sideof the machine for the purpose of discharging the refuse to one sidewhen moving along in the field.

The frame of the separator X is hinged to the brackets V V by means ofthe hangers u u and agitated by the straps a, which have a pivotalconnection with the wrist-pins of the wheels Q Q, as seen in Figs. 1, 2,and 4. To free the potatoes from the earth still adhering to them, ascreen is placed directly below the rods t, consisting of aseries ofrods, t Figs. 1 and 2, which are also inserted or attached to the bar t,but in much closer relation to each other than the rods t. Owing to thepeculiar manner in which this screen of rods is formed, the potatoes aredelivered therefrom to the ground in a concentrated row or continuousline. Between the brackets V V, and close to the elevator S, is arrangedthe roll Y, the purpose of which is to facilitate the conveyance of thepotatoes and stalks onto the sepa rator and prevent them from fallingdown between said elevator and separator.

Fig. 6 illustrates an enlarged sectional view of the means by which thearms E are held in line with each other, and for that purpose each end:of said arms is provided with a boss, 1:, whereof one is provided with aprojection which fits into the countersink of the other. Externally thebosses serve as a pivot for the lever F, Which in turn, by the aid ofthe braces to, assure a most rigid and durable connection when united bythe bolt X, running centrally through them. The braces to extend and areconnected with the front end by the lever, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, asbefore described.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

1. In a potato diggerand separator, the elevator S, consisting of theendless link belts d, and angular cross-bars 6, provided with pins tomove in between the spaces of the rack U, underlyingsaid elevator S,substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of the arms E, provided with bosses v, the lever F,pivotally connected with said bosses, the braces 10, and the bolt w,uniting them with said arms and lever, substantially as shown and setforth.

3. In combination with the potato digger and separator combined, thetruck I, lever F, and braces 10, pivotally attached with the arms E andlever K, substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ISAAC W. HOOVER.

